'March for Israel' rally at US capital on Tuesday amid war and growing antisemitism

Thousands of people from the Jewish community and its supporters will “March for Israel” at the United States capital in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday in what is expected to be one of the largest pro-Israel gatherings in recent history.

The pro-Israel march is being jointly organized by the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.

The march is “an opportunity for all Americans to come together in solidarity with the people of Israel, to demonstrate our commitment to America’s most important ally in the Middle East, to condemn the rising trend of antisemitic violence and harassment, and to demand that every hostage be immediately and safely released,” according to the JFNA website.

The pro-Israel event comes amid a 400% spike in antisemitism since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war, after some 1,200 Israelis were massacred by the Hamas terrorists in Israel’s southern border communities on Oct. 7.

Over the past several weeks, Jews worldwide have suffered violent attacks, harassment and vandalism across the United States and Europe. The “glorification, celebration or legitimization of Hamas’s brutal violence against Israelis and Jews” has been reported at protests on college campuses and other rally sites, according to Oren Segal, the vice president of the Center on Extremism at the Anti-Defamation League.

Jewish communities and schools across the country have canceled their usual activities to charter buses and planes to attend the rally at the National Mall.

“We expect there to be a massive crowd that will engage on these issues and ensure that America knows where we stand,” William Daroff, chief executive of the Conference of Presidents, said.

“Hamas’s brutal and ongoing acts of terror have no place in a civilized world, and directly undermine global efforts to seek just and lasting peace in the Middle East,” said Daroff.

“It’s imperative that America sends a resounding message of support to our ally that we stand in solidarity with the victims, hostages, and their families; that we reject extreme anti-Israel rhetoric and sentiment; and that we are united around shared values of peace, justice, and freedom.”

“Americans have rightly stood by Israel at this critical moment because Americans understand that Israel’s fight against Hamas is no different than America’s fight against al-Qaeda and ISIS,” said JFNA CEO Eric Fingerhut.

Following the rally, a VIP reception will be hosted by The Israel Allies Foundation (IAF) in partnership with The Jerusalem Post.

Members of the Congressional Israel Allies Caucus (CIAC), Jewish and Christian leaders, other members of Congress and Israeli representatives will discuss the current war in Gaza and concerns over rising antisemitism in the United States and abroad.

The event’s featured speakers will include family members of hostages in Gaza and victims of the Oct. 7 terror attacks, in addition to Israeli Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan and Economy Minister Nir Barkat. 

“I would like to thank the Congressional Israel Allies Caucus for holding this important event,” Erdan said ahead of the event.

“The bipartisan nature of faith-based diplomacy can be felt in legislatures around the world as we fight the biased and distortion we see in the United Nations.”

The caucus is one of many important pro-Israel initiatives as the Jewish state continues to battle Hamas amid international pressure.

The CIAC was modeled after the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus (KCAC) and is the first bipartisan caucus in support of Israel in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Ahead of the upcoming reception in the nation’s capital, IAF President and KCAC Director Josh Reinstein also expressed his gratitude for the leadership of the CIAC and its support.

“Thank you, CIAC co-chairs and members, for being a united voice for Israel as we continue our fight against terrorism,” said Reinstein. “As a historic ally of Israel, the United States continues to stand with us in our most crucial time. We are confident that through our bipartisan efforts, good will indeed prevail over evil.”

Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters recently marched at the nation’s capital demanding a ceasefire in Gaza. U.S. President Joe Biden refused to issue those demands and has continued to back the Jewish state.

More recently, Biden called for a “pause” to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza and the evacuation of civilians.

The House of Representatives recently approved the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2024, which provides the state with $14 billion in additional military aid, though it is expected to meet resistance in the Democrat-controlled U.S. Senate and be vetoed by the president for its proposal to cut funding from the Internal Revenue Service.